Paper-fastener



F. W. SHUTE.

PAPER FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 24. 1920.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

lnvenTor. FredericK WShuTe UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. SHUTE, OF'AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

PAPER-FASTENEB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed latch 24, 1820. Serial No. 368,342.

This invention relates to paper fasteners of that type com rising aU-shaped member, the arms of whic are adapted to be inserted through thepapers to be fastened together, and a retaining member havlng aperturesthrough which the ends of the arms pr0 ect, the projectin ends of thearms being adapted to be fol ed down against the retaining memberthereby to hold the retaining member in position.

The invention relates particularly to a novel construction by which thebent-over ends of the arms are retained in their locking position.Thisis accomplished in the present invention by means of a keeper whichis detachable from the retaining member and which when in operativeposition overlies the bent-over ends of the arms, thus retaining them insuch position.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated inthe drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described,after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appendedclaim.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a device embodying myinvention showing the retaining member in place but the keeper removed 5Fig. 2 1s a similar view showing the keeper in place retaining thebent-over ends of the arms against the retaining member;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device.

As stated above, mfy invention relates to that type of paper astenercomprising a U-shaped body member 1 having the two arms 2 that areadapted to be inserted through the papers 3 to be fastened together, anda retainlng member 4 which is provided with apertures 5 adaptedtoreceive the ends of the arms 2 that project through the paper, said armsbeing bent over against the retaining member to hold the retainingmember in position.

In the present construction the retaining member 4 is formed with arecess or depression 6 extending from one aperture 5 to the other, saiddepression being of a width and depth sufficient to receive thebent-over portions of the arms 2.

In using the device'the arms 2 areinserted through the papers 3 and thenthe retaining member. 4 is applied, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and whenthe retaining member is pressed down firmly against the papers 3, theends of the arms 2 which roject beyond the retaining member are ent overinto the recess 6, as shown by dotted lines Fi 4.

I In (mi r that the device may be effective in retaining the paperstogether, it is, of course, essential that the bent-over portions of thearms 2 should be held in thelr bent-over position. Otherwise they arelikely to be pulled out from the retaining member. I provide for thusholding the bent-over portions of the arms 2 in their bent-over positionby means of a keeper 7 which is detachably secured to the retainingmember 4. This keeper is in the form of'a plate which when secured tothe retaining member will overlie the bent-over portions of the arms.The keeper may be detachably secured to the retaining member in variousways. One simple way is to make the keeper with the inwardly-turned lips8 at its edges so that it can be slid over the retaining member 4 withthe edges 8 of the keeper embracing the edges of the retaining member.When the projecting ends of the arms 2 are bent over into the recess 6,the bent-over ortions of the arms come'substantially flus with the topof the retaining member so that thekeeper can be readily slipped ontothe retaining member from one end. When the keeper is in the positionshown in Figs. 2 and 3, it overlies the bent-over portions of the arms 2and firmly holds them in their operative bent-over position.

The operation of removing the device from the papers involves ing thekeeper 7 and then straightening the bent-over portions of the arms 2 topermit the keeper to be withdrawn.

The construction of the retaining member 4 is advantageous because thedepressed portion 6 constitutes the part of the retaining member whichengages the stack of papers 3 and therefore when said retaining memberis pressed firmly against thepapers the edges thereof will be separatedfrom the papers by a distance equal to the depth of the depression 6 sothat there is space between the edges of the retaining member and thepapers to permit the keeper to be readily applied while the papers areclamped firmly together.

I claim:

A paper fastening comprising a body having integral therewith two armsextending laterally therefrom and adapted to be inserted through thepapers to be fastened together, a retaining member having aperturesthrough which the projecting ends of said arms extend, said arms beingconstructed to be bent over against the retaining member and the latterhaving the portion between the apertures oifset below the body of thekeeper thereby to provide a depression to receive the bent over ends ofthe arms and also spacing the edges of the retaining member from thepapers, and a keeper in the form of a plate having its edges bent overto form lips and adapted to embrace the retaining member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification.

F EDERICK W. SHUTE.

